Simon Pegg credits the ‘Mission: Impossible’ films for rescuing him from his alcoholism

Simon Pegg revealed that the Mission: Impossible franchise helped him to escape a cycle of depressive alcoholism.

Pegg first joined the franchise in 2006 when he starred in Mission: Impossible III as Benji Scott, a technician who helps Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt on his numerous adventures. He’ll reprise the role in the eighth and possibly last film, The Final Reckoning.

While the role was “the apotheosis of [his] life ambitions”, he was also “deeply unhappy” and unable to appreciate the experience.

He toldVariety: “What I was ultimately dealing with was depression, which I was trying to manage by anaesthetising myself. It was less of being alcoholic, more being dependent on the sensation.”

Pegg admits that his first day on the set with Cruise was spent “slightly hungover”. After the shoot had finished for the day Pegg said he went straight to the bar when returning to his hotel. He described this drive as a “nihilistic, self-destructive impulse”.

However, during the 2011 sequel Ghost Protocol the production team became aware of Pegg’s off-screen battles. They supported him as he sought recovery by providing him with a sober companion to look out for him.

He singled out directors JJ Abrams and Brad Bird for their help. “I felt very taken care of and felt valued because they bothered to do that,” he said.

He also credited Cruise for his support. He told Pegg: “You’re going to get in shape for this film - you’re an agent now!”

Pegg joked that anyone watching a scene in which he and Cruise walked across the Red Square in Moscow he drops 20lbs in a single edit.

He said: “I kind of found this joy in looking after myself and just realising that if I ate well and went to the gym I could actually feel good.”

He added: “I credit Mission with rescuing me - because it gave me real focus at a time when I needed focus. And I had just the best time on Ghost Protocol.”

Pegg has now been sober since 2010 and has appeared in every Mission: Impossible film since 2006.

Speaking to The Independent in 2023 Pegg said: “Going public helped me in so many ways. It was good to be honest after I had spent such a long time being secretive.”

“That was a period in my life when I wasn’t looking after myself and now that I am, it’s weird to get asked about it a lot and then have to go back in time,” he said. “I’ve said what I needed to say. I’ve told my story.”